


Stain

by AsheTarasovich (natalieashe), Boffin1710



Series: Moments of Life in the Shadows [40]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-09 00:56:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11658264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natalieashe/pseuds/AsheTarasovich, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boffin1710/pseuds/Boffin1710
Summary: "Looks like water. Must be a leak somewhere."





	Stain

**Alec...**

Q is frazzled. It's quite amusing to watch. Not so good to be on the end of his agitation as the head of maintenance is discovering.

"There! Look! You must be able to see it."

The grey haired man dutifully looks at the ceiling tiles above Q's head. He is chewing gum, mouth open, smacking the elastic confection noisily around his teeth. "S'a stain."

"Yes," Q says with exaggerated patience. "A stain that was not there when I left my department late last night. A stain that is growing with each passing hour."

"Looks like water. Must be a leak somewhere."

He is about to walk away but our Quartermaster is like lightning, leaping in front of him to block his exit. I can't help chuckle at the man's startled exclamation.

"Look around you," Q gestured. "What do you see?"

Rabbit in the headlights, the man's mouth works furiously at his gum as his brain tries to identify what Q wants him to see. "Ummm... computers?"

"Yes! Well done. Lots of very expensive computers that will not enjoy a deluge of water. Please identify and fix it." Q claps his hands and shoos the man away.

"Christ, Alec. Why am I dealing with this? You're at a loose end. Instead of making a nuisance of yourself, hunt that man down if he is not back here within 15 minutes with a ladder!"

"Oh, but you are such a wonderful people person." If looks could kill...

The man is back with a ladder and two more men in work boots. One holds the ladder while he sends the teenager up to remove the tiles. The head man watches, arms crossed, jaws working furiously. Tiles fall and a smattering of fat drops of rusty water patters down onto the desks beneath.

Q shrieks from all the way across the room and bears down the small crew.

"See! Water! Careful! Where is it coming from?"

"Dunno, boss. Up there somewhere."

I can practically hear Q's teeth clash together and we all take a step away from the unlucky grey haired gum-chewer. One bony finger jabs the taller man in the chest, wild dark hair and slightly insane look in his eyes. "Fix. It!" Q hisses, and then points at me, "or I will order this man to shoot every single one of you for putting this Country at risk."

Never mess with a concerned Quartermaster.

**Q...**

I turn around and another one of the crew is staying there with a jumble of blue tarping in his arms. “And just what am I supposed to do with that.”

“Cover the computers.” He triumphantly states as if he has just solved all the problems of the known world.

“Do you not see all these people in this room that are trying to work? And said work cannot be accomplished with blue tarping covering everything. “More disintegrating plaster rains down on us as the useless one up on the ladder continues to poke around at things in the ceiling.

“006!” 

And before I can even order Alec to shoot the entire crew he has both hands up waving me off. “Not my mission Quartermaster.” He is so going to get his when we get home this evening. 

“It looks like there is a leaking rusted water pipe.” A muffled voice from inside the ceiling. 

“What a brilliant observation. Fix it!!” The one in the ceiling begins to crawl down the ladder.

“No! You stay up there and fix this!”

“We’ll have to take down more ceiling to really see what the problem is,” states one.

“Have to check in stores to see if we have the parts.” Says another.

“Might have to order in parts.” The banter between them continues as they all three look up into the now gaping hole in ceiling of Q Branch.

“Maybe a couple of buckets would help.” 

“And it’s getting close to the end of our shift.”

“No!!!! FIX. IT. NOW.” My left hand begins to drift towards my workstation where the multi-phase Taser that I just finished for 009 next mission is lying just waiting to be put to good use.

“Quartermaster….” Alec’s voice is directly behind me. Hand grasping my elbow before I can act. “Let’s go see if we can find a cuppa.”  
  


 


End file.
